Flyers believe experience can help them climb out of 3-0 hole against Hurricanes

VOORHEES, N.J. -- The Philadelphia Flyers have appeared to be dead and buried a few times this season.

They were eight points out of a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs when the NHL went on break for 2026 Winter Olympics in February. They were six points back at the NHL Trade Deadline on March 6. They were the underdogs against the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round of the postseason, which they won in six games.

Now they face elimination in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Second Round against the Carolina Hurricanes at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Saturday (6 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, truTV, TNT, SN, TVAS, CBC).

But having clawed their way out of holes before, there's belief the Flyers can do it again, this time down 3-0 in the best-of-7 series. 

"We've been dead before and we've climbed out of it," coach Rick Tocchet said Friday. "We've played a lot of playoff games the last two, three months, and now we're in a situation where it's a must-win. It's a do-or-die game.

"How do you go into this game making these guys play relaxed. ... Can we be more determined tomorrow night? Yeah, I think we can."

The first step in that process is playing more disciplined. Philadelphia has averaged 28:40 of penalty minutes in the first three games of this series, far above their regular season average of 9:34 per game.

In a 4-1 loss in Game 3, the Flyers gave the Hurricanes nine power plays, and Carolina scored on two of them.

The Flyers have been short-handed 19 times in three games, matching the numbers of times they were on the penalty kill in six games against the Penguins in the first round.

"There's just times where you've just got to take a punch in the mouth," Tocchet said. "It's discipline. We just can't take eight or nine penalties. It's the flow of the game. I thought for the most part, other than Game 1, the 5-on-5 (play), we've been pretty good against this team. It's just the other parts of the game. Even the 4-on-4 stuff. They're better at that stuff than us. So we've just got to play our game, and that's more disciplined."

Their play at 5-on-5 remains an area of confidence as the Flyers feel they've been able to find holes in the Hurricanes forecheck which has allowed them to create offensive opportunities. 

Finishing them has been a problem. In the first period of Game 3, Travis Konecny had a breakaway 59 seconds into the game that went off the pads of goalie Frederik Andersen and then off the post. Porter Martone hit the post on a chance from the right hash mark at 4:35.

Philadelphia has three goals in three games, missing the net on 25 shot attempts.

"I think we had a ton of ton of good looks (in Game 3), especially in the first period," forward Trevor Zegras said. "I think when you score one goal, obviously it's going to be tough to win games. But we've shown a ton of fight all season. We've got a lot of belief and confidence in the room."

The Flyers also understand where the Hurricanes are sitting because they were in the same spot in the first round. After winning the first three against the Penguins, they had to learn how to handle the pressure of Pittsburgh winning the next two games to force a Game 6.

So, they understand how quickly doubt can seep into a dressing room.

"We know what it's like to be up 3-0, and that feeling when a team wins one game and then wins another game, and kind of how the locker room tightens up," Zegras said. "When you're up 3-0, you feel, almost in a sense, like the series should be over. You just want it to be done.

"I think if we can go out and get one tomorrow, they'll tighten up a little bit."

To start putting that squeeze on, the focus has to be small.

"Win the first five minutes and go from there," goalie Dan Vladar said. "Win the first period, win the second and win the third, and then we can focus on the next game."

Forcing another game when the odds are stacked against them has become a familiar feeling for the Flyers. They've gotten off the mat before, and there's belief they can do it again.

"I bet not a lot of people, maybe not a lot of people in this room, would have pegged us to be in the second round of the NHL playoffs," Zegras said. "We have life, we have opportunity. It's 3-0, but we're still here. We're still playing. We've got a big game tomorrow, so we go out and play well and win a game, it's a different ball game."